By admin MEDINA, Ohio – There are rescue and adoption agencies in almost every county in the United States. But Medina may have one of the most unique ones. Instead of animals, this fledgling ministry rescues musical instruments.
Instrumental Rescue and Adoption Western Reserve is the brainchild of Dr. Loomis, whose family was among the first to settle in Medina County. His ancestors came to the Wadsworth/Granger area in 1815 and he grew up in Granger.
He has fond memories of his own experiences as a musician and band member, and was excited when his granddaughters decided to start learning instruments at school.
He then found out how much it would cost to rent an instrument and that many families had difficulty renting an instrument for their children. He decided to try to help when he heard about a single mom who lost her job and couldn’t afford the costs.
“Many of us former musicians still keep our instruments in a closet somewhere and don’t know what to do with them. “I often see them for sale online and I decided I would get them, clean them, repair them and give them to families who need them,” he said.
Loomis approached several school districts to see if they would accept such donations, but they weren’t interested, so he founded Western Reserve Instrument Rescue & Adoption. It hopes that when it manages to submit an application, it will obtain the status of a non-profit organization, but for now it relies on donors and if someone needs an instrument that they do not have, they buy it.
“One of our donors once asked what we do with the instruments when they come to us,” he said. “Generally speaking, we look for repairs that need to be done and cleaning that needs to be done. We always try to send a clean and working instrument. What used to be an office has become a recycling corner in our home.”
A good example is the flute he recently received. “He’s beautiful and looks ready to play. However, closer examination revealed that the pads – those small, soft, round pieces that cover the tone holes – needed to be replaced. They are essential for creating an airtight seal, ensuring that no air escapes when a key is pressed, so that the flutist can accurately produce the desired notes. So his project will be to replace them and he will cover the cost, which can sometimes be a bit daunting for a small town pastor.
A table full of musical instruments is not unusual in the Loomis home.Sam Boye
Our Facebook mission is an indication of this: Our instrument rescue effort collects used musical instruments and provides them free of charge to elementary, middle and high school students in northern Ohio.
“…whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God! “
Loomis is currently the pastor of Remsen Christian Church, near Granger Township, where he grew up and learned to play many instruments. Loomis attended Baldwin-Wallace College and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Scenic Design. He designed for shows in New York and traveled to design for Opryland and the Grand Old Opry, where he met his future wife, Ellen.
In 1981, he answered a call to ministry that began in his boyhood denomination, Disciples of Christ, and then as an Anglican, where he served as a bishop in the Anglican Mission, traveling to countries around the world.
A few years ago he retired to Medina, where he pursued many interests, especially history and philosophy, which can be seen on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/docsmedina.
Now that school has started and band rehearsals are underway, the number of requests has slowed down for a while, allowing time to collect more donations and work on cleaning and repairing instruments. This year they have already distributed 50 instruments.
“We would appreciate any donations you can make so that no child has to give up their love of playing music because they can’t afford an instrument,” he said. “We are happy to pick up and deliver products and are always pleased to be able to take photos of recipients with their own instruments.”
Gift recipients are only asked to take a photo and promise to return it if they no longer need the instrument in the future.
For more information, visit the Western Reserve Instrument Rescue & Adoption website at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565732704013